Free Geek Startups
Important Note
Please note: We have this information collected to help others get started, but at this time we advise groups not to use the trademarked name "Free Geek." Also, Free Geek in Portland is not able to provide too much support to startup groups these days, as we are very busy with our day to day operations.
What's with all these Free Geeks, anyway?
Numerous organizations around the world do work similar to Free Geek. Wherever practical, we encourage groups to use our model, and apply for permission to use the Free Geek name.
Anyone interested in starting up a Free Geek (or Free Geek-like organization) in their area, or in finding neighbors who are already doing so, should join our email list for startups. (You can also browse the list archives, or use Google to search them.)
The Free Geek Principles page outlines the requirements for using the Free Geek name. New organizations are welcome to use any ideas drawn from the original Free Geek without restriction, but using the Free Geek name requires compliance with these principles.
Starting a new Free Geek:
FreeGeek works on a lot of volunteer labor and a few, dedicated, paid staff. The rent, lights, and wages for staff are paid out of an income stream that is dominated by sales of refurbished equipment in the thrift store, tax-deductible donations, fees for monitors disposal, and sales of materials to industrial recycling companies. The willingness of the volunteers to put time and effort into the place comes from many sources, including: free computers to people who put 24 hours in (in one of our programs); to people who build 6 computers (another program); free food often around from random volunteers acquiring it as donations to a nonprofit or from dumpsters; classes, and the ability to learn things; forwarding of external job offers through to those who might want them; and finally, because we make it a cool place to work by not having a lot of formality.
Probably the most important thing is to have a group of people focused on turning the stream of stuff into a stream of usefulness, both by getting computers built and adopted, and by getting stuff sold, donations made, and equipment being recycled turned into actual, recyclable materials, and then those sold to vendors who will pay the most for them (while staying within the responsible recycling framework). If you can build the streams which generate revenue, you can build staff. If most of your staff people spend their time playing with the 'cool thing' that just came in the door, you're doomed.
That said, FreeGeek isn't particularly lucrative for anyone. At FGPDX, 15 paid staff make just a bit more than minimum wage here, after 5-6 years of operations.
- Free Geek Principles
- A short list of things that help you decide if you can call your new organization "Free Geek" or not.
- How to Start a Free Geek
- What steps you need to go through to get authorization to use the Free Geek name.
- Free Geek Bylaws
- A copy of the official bylaws of Free Geek in Portland.
- Site Analysis Guidelines
- What kind of qualities to look for when picking a location.
- Case Studies
- Some stats about some Free Geek startups.
- E-Waste Best Practices
- The best ways to reuse and recycle.
- Organizational Narrative
- The story so far.
- Free Geek Definitions
- Confused by all these terms? Here's your dictionary.
- Software Overview
- What makes Free Geek in Portland run.
- Free Geek Startup Trademark Use Application
- More than just an application, it's a checklist to make sure you're thinking of everything that needs to be thought of -- and a tool to help decide if you're getting in over your head.
Being a Free Geek Ambassador
For Free Geek in Portland people assisting an outside group:
Please visit our Ambassador Basics page. Please? Thanks.
Join the Mailing List
If you want to join in the conversation with other people starting (or wanting to start) a new Free Geek, you probably want to sign up for our startup mailing list. Ask and answer questions. Ask for and give advice.
Visit http://www.freegeek.org/about/intergalactic/startup-list-signup/ to sign up.
The Many Projects
Official Free Geeks:
| logo | area of service & web link |
FreekiWiki link |
|---|---|---|
|
Oregon | Free Geek in Portland (the "mothership") |
|
|
Milky Way and adjacent galaxies | Free Geek Intergalactic |
|
|
Fayetteville, Arkansas | Free Geek Arkansas |
|
Illinois | Free Geek Chicago |
|
Ohio | Free Geek Columbus |
|
Michigan and Indiana | Free Geek Michiana
|
|
|
Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota | Free Geek Twin Cities |
|
Murfreesboro, TN | Born Again Technologies |
 
|
Vancouver, British Columbia | Free Geek Vancouver |
|
Orlando, Florida | Free Geek Central Florida
|
Other projects we work or have crossed paths with:
- Canada
- Toronto ON Linux Caffe
- USA
- Hilo, HI: Recycle Hawaii / Community Technology Center of Hawaii
- St. Louis, Missouri: BWORKS is a non-profit organization that gives away computers and bikes.
- Norman, OK: Greenbriar Collective
- Just north of Ashland in Talent, OR: Computer Drop Off; they were inspired by us and they do it for the Katrina!
- Eugene, OR: Next Step Recycling (formerly Lane County CRRC and before that MacRenewal)
- Bellingham, WA: ReLectronics
- Bellingham, WA: VaultCommunityPC
- Seattle, WA: Interconnection
- Seattle, WA: Second Start Computers
- Ashland, WI Longrun Project; neat article
- World
- Australia Computrer Angels Inc.
- Australia Computer Bank
- Brazil: Metareciclagem
- Italy: Faber Libertatis
- Stockholm, Sweden Infos: datordonation
- (very incomplete list!) (yeah! so when you are checking me out don't forget to update me!)
- mine this discussion thread for more. People spoke up from Minneapolis, Worcester Mass, Perth Australia, and elsewhere about their local FG-like places. -Pete
- Some groups that are not authorized to use the name Free Geek.
- (Members of these groups are encouraged to apply for official status or to use a different name.)
- Free Geek Olympia
- FreeGeek Tacoma
- Free Geek Bellingham
- Free Geek Penn